Texas Wesleyan’s men’s golf team has worked hard to be ranked second in the nation.
They are only behind Oklahoma City University, said head coach Bobby Cornett, who added that the Stars are always hard to beat.
Over the years, Cornett said, the team has always excelled, with six national championships, players going to the Professional Golfer’s Association tour in 2002, and 10 individual titles since the NAIA was formed in 1952.
The team recently returned from winning the Kohlar Collegiate at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. This was the team’s fourth tournament of the fall. The first was U.C Ferguson Classic in Oklahoma City, the second was the Texas Intercollegiate, which Wesleyan hosted and won, and the third, the 19th annual O.D Bounds Golf Classic, raised around 25,000$ for the golf program, according to ramsports.net.
Leo Mathard, a sophomore business administration major, said he is glad to be playing at Wesleyan.
“I hear a lot of good stuff (about Wesleyan’s golf team),” Mathard said. “It’s a good challenge to be here.”
Mathard came to Wesleyan from France and was ranked 16th in nationals last year. He said he enjoys experiencing new places, people, and cultures while playing on the team.
“It’s cool to see all those different cultures,” Mathard said “In golf, we travel a lot. We play in different places. We meet a lot of people from around the world. What’s cool with this team is that you can see different lifestyles.”
Mathard has plans on becoming a professional golfer and is glad he has a great team to help him improve.
“We are a strong team. Everybody has to work a lot to be on the team so it’s pushing everybody to get better,” Mathard said.
Cornett agreed, saying that this isn’t always the case because in golf you’re separate from the team.
“It’s a little different sport because you’re competing as a team, but you’re never right there with your team,” Cornett said “You’re always separated from the other guys, you don’t play together.”
Cornett also said that while the team isn’t without problems, the players are still doing well together.
“When you independent and highly motivated individuals, they don’t always get along, but this year the chemistry is pretty good.” He said.
Connor Parish, a sophomore golfer majoring in management and finance, believes the team bonding is good as well.
He lives with his two of his teammates and they go out all the time, he said.
“Our guys usually get along together,” Parish said “We feed off of each other, we want to beat each other, and we practice with each other all the time.”
He believes the team is playing as well as the players want to.
“We only lost one of the tournaments and we got second place behind the number one team in the nation,” Parish said “We’re pretty stoked about that.”
Cornett is glad that the team is having a successful year, but he isn’t surprised by the level of devotion the team has to the sport.
“If they make it to our roster, they’re devoted,” Cornett said “They don’t get a spot on the team unless it’s a high priority. They know of our history and our success in the past. That’s why they want come here.”
